Star Wars Outlaws had a bumpy takeoff when it launched last summer, and its “meh” reception has stuck with it since. Because of that reception, forums like its subreddit are constantly flooded with prospective scoundrels asking, “Is the game worth it?” Lemme tell ya, if you’ve ever wanted to channel your inner Han Solo and explore the underbelly of Star Wars, it’s most certainly “worth it.”
One of the main criticisms of Star Wars Outlaws at launch were its automatic-fail stealth sections, which are no more after a November 2024 update. Now, if a buckethead finds Kay Vess sneaking around an Imperial base, in almost all cases you can channel your inner Danny DeVito and just start blasting when Kay’s in trouble. The gunplay is very fun, and during my time with Outlaws I enjoyed both the challenge of giving sneaky stealth an honest try as well as pew pewing a Stormtrooper in the face.
With the frustrating auto-fail out of the way, there’s a lot to love in Star Wars Outlaws. It’s a planet-hopping adventure, showcasing recognizable Star Wars planets like Kijimi (from Episode IX) and Cantonica, home to Canto Bight (from Episode VIII). Old heads and new fans alike will surely marvel at Massive’s recreation of Tatooine, home to spaceport Mos Eisley. The famous cantina has a scorch march from where Han shot first, and you can even visit Jabba’s Palace (and discover some fun Easter eggs inside).
Of course, I won’t tell you Star Wars Outlaws is perfect; it’s stuffed with ideas and mechanics, and it features the typical collect-a-thon annoyance you’d expect from a Ubisoft game. However, if you don’t want to engage with any of its many, many gameplay features — don’t! I didn’t entertain a single speeder race, and I only played out space battles when the main story required it. Instead, Star Wars Outlaws offers plenty of Uncharted-esque platforming and solid third-person shooting to keep you away from the mechanics that don’t tickle your fancy.
It also has Sabacc, which really should be spun into its own game, like The Witcher 3’s Gwent. Sabacc is one of the best minigames you’ll find in an RPG; its simple and exciting mechanics would fit right in at a Vegas casino. I don’t typically purchase DLC for games — there’s just too much to play, you know — but Outlaws’ “Wild Card” mission, which saw Kay infiltrating a high-stakes Sabacc game before shit hits the fan, was too good to pass up with its exhilarating Sabacc centerpiece.
Outlaws’ second story DLC, “A Pirate’s Fortune,” was released on Thursday, May 15, potentially putting a bow on new content for Star Wars Outlaws. Still, the game isn’t done yet; it will hit the Nintendo Switch 2 in September, meaning you’ll be able to gamble, fly through space, and pew pew on the go in between races in Mario Kart World.
If you picked up Star Wars Outlaws at launch but quickly bounced, or if you’re simply in the mood for an engrossing open world adventure, check it out. Outlaws is worth it for Sabacc alone.
The post Star Wars Outlaws is better than you think it is appeared first on Polygon.
